Monthly Archives: June 2014

For decades I have enjoyed reading science fiction. For decades I imagined different plots and situations in science fiction worlds. I started five different novels, only getting one to four chapters done before getting distracted with life. I drew maps, imagined alien cultures, and investigated the scientific plausibility of different technologies and worlds.

Finally, in May 2013, I decided I needed to write a real book. I made it a goal to complete one in a year. It was fun. I did have to discipline myself to write at least three times a week for a couple hours each, instead of watching Netflix.

Actually my progress was discouraging. I have made a huge complex plan for my story, about 50 chapters, and I was not keeping up with the two chapters each month. Then I decided to break it up into a trilogy. After planning again so that book 1 would be a good stand alone novel, and fit into a trilogy, I was ahead of schedule. A new wave of enthusiasm hit me, and in January 2014, I was done.

Except then I found out there was more work than just getting the first draft done. I hired Anjanette Oborn as my editor, and she convinced me I needed to make some changes to the plots and rewrite several chapters, adding material to important events that I had just summarized in the draft. After considerable more effort, and starting to worry if I would ever get it done, and running out of energy, she coaxed me on. And we finished.

She suggested that I try to get it published through a traditional publisher, but I did not have enough confidence to try that. Maybe I should of followed her suggestion, but self publishing was a lot of fun, if less profitable. I got to make all the decisions about illustrations, price, book size, and everything.

I am happy with my first book. The second edition (of the same book) will be available in a few days with different illustrations. Also, I have made some progress on the sequel.

I still have my full time day job as a computer engineer, and I have not made even close to the money I spend on the book, but it was cheaper than a vacation to Hawaii and the fun lasted longer.

For edition 1 of my first novel, “Negative Zero”, I used the illustrations drawn by my niece Lindsay. I engaged her early, and sent her the first draft of my manuscript. I asked her for a drawing for each of my 16 chapters. I wanted an illustration for the head of each chapter.

Starting her so early in the schedule was a mistake, since after a long editing process the plot had changes, and it grew to 21 chapters. Some of her original drawings no longer matched the actual story, and the 5 new chapters have no picture. I was flattered that she was willing to do the pictures for me, and they were still mostly relevent. And they allowed me to publish early since my other illustrator busy with other customers at the time. Thank you Lindsay, most science fiction does not get internal illustrations.

I want to exhibit her pictures in this post, along with explanations where appropriate.

Chapter 1: Tomek in his special suit with synthetic extra arms

The original manuscript started with a ‘chapter -0’, which no longer made sense after new plot changes, so chapter -0 was aborted. In it, Tomek was wearing a suit that had two extra (mechanical) arms that were programmed to do specific things. I used the picture for the current chapter 1 instead, which has Tomek still wearing the suit and helmet, but no extra arms.

Chapter 2: Tomek flying through space.

This chapter 2 picture (for the old chapter 1) still matches the same same spot in the story.

Chapter3: Scod

This picture was Lindsay’s interpretation of Scod, Tomek’s best friend. It could of been used for most chapters.

Chapter 4: Vehicle traveling to the city.

Chapter 6: Mourning Bez

This picture still fits well. Traggie mourning the fatal illness of her husband Bez

Chapter 9: Traggie rescues Tomek.

This still fits. Tomek is stranded on a business roof top and is rescued by Traggie in the air car.

Chapter 10: Visiting the hospital

There are two chapters involving a visit to the hospital. I put it on the second, the visit to Nannie.

Chapter 11: The rombium addict henchwoman.

I think this one was originally intended to be Nannie. I used this for a new chapter involving a victim of rombiam addiction, who Tomek had to outwit.

Chapter 12: The date at the restaurant.

This is a vehicle parked in front of a nice restaurant where Traggie and Tomek go on a pretend date to spy on the criminal Gat.

Chapter 13: Basdu, the boss

This was originally supposed to be Col I think. But I used it to be Basdu, Tomek’s boss.

Chapter 14: Traggie’s capture

This is Traggie right before she was captured by the bad guys. In the original manuscript I told her viewpoint of her being captured. In the published version, this part of the story was deleted, and I just tell of Tomek learning that she was captured.

Chapter 15: Tomek’s capture

Tomek is finally captured by the bad guys and put in a straightjacket.

Chapter 17: The space ship

Tomek escapes in his spaceship, the ‘Vigilante’

Chapter 19: Alex signalling

Alex, a prisoner of the bad guys, gives a secret gesture to Tomek who expects to rescue him.

Chapter 21: Crash landing on Baktu

The the original manuscript, Tomek crash lands in water on the planet Baktu. The end. In the published story, he gets to the solar system of Baktu, and celebrates his accomplishments onboard his ship, still in space. The end.